Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 220 / Friday, November 14, 2003 / Notices 64675 individuals with disabilities. Sign and ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an project Web site at http:// oral interpretation can be made Environmental Impact Statement. www.accesstotheregionscore.com and available if requested 10 calendar days will be available at the scoping before the meeting. SUMMARY: The Federal Transit meetings. Scoping material may also be Administration (FTA) is issuing this FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: obtained by contacting David notice to advise other agencies and the Trish Butera or Lydia Leeds, RSAC Widawsky, Project Manager, at the NJ public that, in accordance with the Coordinators, FRA, 1120 Vermont TRANSIT address given in ADDRESSES National Environmental Policy Act and Avenue, NW., Stop 25, Washington, DC below or by calling toll-free 1–877– its implementing regulations, FTA and 20590, (202) 493–6212/6213 or Grady ARC–0999 or by e-mailing the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Cothen, Deputy Associate Administrator [email protected]. TRANSIT), in partnership with the Port for Safety Standards and Program Authority of New York & New Jersey ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Development, FRA, 1120 Vermont (PANYNJ), intend to prepare an project scope should be forwarded to Avenue NW., Mailstop 25, Washington, Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) David Widawsky, Project Manager, NJ DC 20590, (202) 493–6302. to evaluate alternatives that increase TRANSIT, One Penn Plaza East, 4th SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant transit capacity across the Hudson River Floor, Newark, NJ 07105–2246 or via e- to section 10(a)(2) of the Federal to meet the growing demand for travel mail to Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– between midtown Manhattan (23rd [email protected]. The 463), FRA is giving notice of a meeting Street to 59th Street, Hudson River to scoping meetings will be held at the of the Railroad Safety Advisory East River) and west-of-Hudson points following locations: The Gateway Committee (‘‘RSAC’’). The meeting is in New Jersey and New York. NJ Hilton, Newark Gateway Center @ scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and TRANSIT is the local sponsoring agency Raymond Boulevard, Newark, New conclude at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, for this EIS. Among the alternatives to Jersey 07102 on December 8, 2003 from December 2, 2003. The meeting of the be considered is the construction of a 11 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 8 pm RSAC will be held at the Washington new trans-Hudson River rail tunnel and and at the Hotel Pennsylvania, 401 Plaza, 10 Thomas Circle, NW., additional infrastructure improvements Seventh Avenue, New York, New York Washington, DC 20005, (202) 842–1300. in New Jersey and proximate to Penn 10001 on December 10, 2003 from 11 All times noted are Eastern Standard Station New York (PSNY) to improve am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 8 pm. If Time. train and commuter capacity. The you wish to be placed on the mailing RSAC was established to provide tunnel alternative was recommended on list to receive further information as the advice and recommendations to the the basis of a Major Investment Study EIS study develops, call the toll-free FRA on railroad safety matters. The (MIS) conducted from 1995 to 2003, information line at 1–877-ARC–0999 or Committee consists of 48 individual which is available for review as send an e-mail request to voting representatives and five associate described in ADDRESSES below. FTA, NJ [email protected]. The representatives drawn from among 32 TRANSIT, and PANYNJ seek public and Major Investment Study (MIS) Summary organizations representing various rail interagency input on the scope of the Report can be downloaded from the industry perspectives, two associate EIS for the project, including the project Web site at http:// representatives from the agencies with alternatives to be considered and the www.accesstotheregionscore.com or a railroad safety regulatory responsibility environmental and community impacts hard copy can be obtained by contacting in Canada and Mexico and other diverse to be evaluated. The project is called the Project Manager, as indicated above. groups. Staffs of the National Access to the Region’s Core (ARC). Updated information on ARC will also Transportation Safety Board and Federal DATES: Scoping Comments Due Date: be posted on the project Web site given Transit Administration also participate Written comments on the scope of the above. in an advisory capacity. EIS should be sent to NJ TRANSIT by FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: See the RSAC Web site for details on Mr. January 30, 2004. See ADDRESSES below. pending tasks at: http://rsac.fra.dot.gov. James A. Goveia, Community Planner, Scoping Meeting: Public scoping Federal Transit Administration, Region Please refer to the notice published in meetings to determine the appropriate the Federal Register on March 11, 1996 II, One Bowling Green, Room 429, New scope of the EIS for ARC will be held York, New York, 10004–1415; (61 FR 9740) for more information about on December 8, 2003 in Newark and the RSAC. telephone: (212) 668–2170. December 10, 2003 in New York City at SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Issued in Washington, DC, on November 7, the locations given in ADDRESSES below. 2003. Registration to speak will begin at 11 am I. Scoping George A. Gavalla, for the mid-day session and at 5 pm for The FTA, NJ TRANSIT, and the Associate Administrator for Safety. the evening session and will remain PANYNJ invite all interested [FR Doc. 03–28527 Filed 11–13–03; 8:45 am] open for both sessions until all who individuals and organizations, and BILLING CODE 4910–06–P wish to speak have been heard. The federal, state, and local agencies to buildings are accessible to people with comment on the scope of the EIS. disabilities. A sign language interpreter During the scoping process, comments DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION will be available for the hearing should focus on identifying specific impaired. People with other special social, economic, or environmental Federal Transit Administration needs should call the study toll-free issues to be evaluated, or on proposing Environmental Impact Statement for information line at 1–877–ARC–0999. alternatives that may be less costly, Improved Transit Access Across the Oral and written comments may be more cost effective or have fewer Hudson River to New York City, given at the scoping meetings; a environmental impacts while achieving Referred to as Access to the Region’s stenographer will record oral comments. similar transportation objectives. At this Core At the meetings, project staff will be time, comments should not focus on a available for informal discussion and preference for a particular alternative. AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration questions on project-related issues. Following the public scoping process, (FTA). Scoping information is available on the public outreach activities will include VerDate jul<14>2003 16:32 Nov 13, 2003 Jkt 203001 PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14NON1.SGM 14NON1 64676 Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 220 / Friday, November 14, 2003 / Notices meetings with a Regional Citizens’ population, employment, and regional future use and concealed behind a Liaison Committee (RCLC) established development are expected to continue. breakout wall. This feature would for the study, as well as meetings with facilitate a future extension of service III. Alternatives interested parties or small groups. Those north to the vicinity of Grand Central wishing to participate in the RCLC may The alternatives proposed for Terminal or east to Sunnyside Yard in do so by registering on the Web site at evaluation in the EIS include: Queens with minimal disruption to http://www.accesstotheregionscore.com 1. The No Action Alternative, which existing train operations. includes the current transportation or by calling toll free 1–877–ARC–0999 3. Long-Term Build Alternative S network and the other projects in the or by e-mailing (Sunnyside Yard) is identical to long-range transportation plans of the [email protected]. As Alternative P (Penn Station) west of the both metropolitan planning part of the public participation process, Hudson River. Alternative S includes a the study Web site, http:// organizations (North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority and new two track rail line from Secaucus www.accesstotheregionscore.com, will Junction and a new tunnel from a portal be periodically updated to reflect the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council) that will be completed by the near Tonnelle Avenue in Union City, project’s current status. In addition, adjacent to the existing North River newsletters will be circulated to a broad design year of the ARC project. Two long-term build alternatives tunnel, continuing under the Palisades constituency to ensure people are (Alternatives P and S) to be developed and the Hudson River to Penn Station informed about the project. Additional by 2015: New York. Alternative S also includes opportunities for public participation 2. Long-Term Build Alternative P increased station capacity at Penn will be announced through mailings, (Penn Station), which includes a new Station New York. Alternative S would notices, advertisements, and press two track rail line from Secaucus significantly increase the transit releases. Junction and a new tunnel from a portal capacity to midtown Manhattan for II. Description of Study Area and near Tonnelle Avenue in Union City, west-of-Hudson commuters and would Transportation Needs adjacent to the existing North River also achieve the additional goals of tunnel, continuing under the Palisades meeting the growing demand generated The primary project study area is and the Hudson River to Penn Station by commuters on existing transit lines defined as the travel corridor from New York. Alternative P also includes and highways, providing capacity for Newark Liberty International Airport increased station capacity at Penn expansion of transit service into new Station, through PSNY, to Sunnyside Station New York.